Janie Franz, author of The Bowdancer Saga and the Ruins trilogy

Archive for June, 2016

HER RANCHER BODYGUARD

by Brenda Minton

Blurb

Bodyguard Boone Wilder isn’t keen on his latest mission: watching over a pretty politician’s daughter. Boone is from quiet Texas Hill Country, and Kayla is a showy city gal. But once safely settled at the Wilder Ranch, Boone watches Kayla enjoy cooking with his family, caring for his relatives and bottle-feeding calves. There’s more to her than he ever knew. Still, the former soldier’s wounds are way too deep to let Kayla close. But when he discovers that someone wants to hurt Kayla, Boone must risk his heart to protect what he cares about most.

Available at booksellers everywhere and directly from Harlequin online.

“One of our favorite recipes for a light lunch, a snack, or appetizer is Smoked Tuna Dip. Since I tend to make up recipes as I go, this is ‘too taste.’”…. Brenda Minton

SMOKED TUNA DIP

4 cans Albacore tuna, drained

6 ounces softened cream cheese. (must be soft to blend)

½ cup Miracle Whip

2-3 teaspoons liquid smoke

A few dashes of garlic powder

Creole Seasoning, several dashes (too taste)

A dash or two of salt

Mix and serve with crackers. Even my kids love this recipe

About Brenda Minton

Brenda Minton lives in the Ozarks with her husband, three children, a horse, a few cats and a couple of dogs. What she says about herself probably isn’t as important as what others say. Her daughter says she is “coffee crazy.” She isn’t afraid to share that news with complete strangers. Her middle son thinks she is really embarrassing when she wears fuzzy pink slippers to pick him up at school. Her oldest son doesn’t comment. He’s a smart kid.
Brenda is a country girl who loves to travel. Her dream home is a house on the beach, waves crashing against the shore and a deck where she can have coffee and watch the sun come up.
What does she do when she’s not writing? Her kids say she talks on the phone a lot. That’s probably true. She’s looking into a twelve-step program, but unfortunately she has a lot of enablers who also like to talk on the phone.
She does have other hobbies. She loves to canoe, camp and hike. And of course, drink coffee on the front porch. You can e-mail her at Brenda@brendaminton.net.

Ella Palmer hasneither the money nor the connections to warrant the interest of Nikolai Drakos’sarchenemy. Yet the unassuming beauty has done just that—and claiming her will beNikolai’s ultimate satisfaction!

The ruthless tycoon will use any meansnecessary to ensure Ella’s compliance, so he buys out her family’s debts. Debts he’ll forgive if Ella becomes his mistress. But when he discovers the true extent of herinnocence, Nikolai is forced to consider something new; it appears the indomitable Greekis about to take a bride!

Congratulations, Lynne Graham, on OVER 35 MILLIONcopies sold worldwide with Harlequin®!

Available at booksellers everywhere and directly from Harlequin online.

What’s it like to be a writer? Here’s what Lynn Graham says about her prolific career.

Where the magic happens…

Every writer has a different process, but for me one of the most important parts of creating a story is where I do it. I have a room in my house that is solely mine. I fill it with all the things that inspire me. It has hundreds of books, maps, guides to far flung places where I set my romances. But it’s very much a working room.

I start writing at 9.00 am and work on through to 5.00pm. The only members of the family allowed in to my writing room are my three dogs. They curl up underneath my desk and keep me company. Most of the time they behave! Occasionally if I’m stuck on a plot, then I’ll take them for a walk and by the time I’m back in my room, all the kinks are magically resolved.

At Christmas my writing room has its own Christmas tree that is full of bright pink decorations – these are the ones that are full of glitter, sparkle and feathers. (Both me and my husband agree that it’s the best place for them!) I have candles that cover every surface, and fairy lights around the fire place. It’s the coziest, most beautiful room in the house!

It also contains my collections. I like collecting small frog figurines – if they have crowns! I also like stone animal figures. I have to keep an eye on what I collect, because if I don’t, they’ll get out of hand and I’d be buried under small animals rather than the beautiful worlds of faraway places, and brooding heroes and innocent heroines.

I also have a house in France. It’s a beautiful rural cottage near Eauze in the Gers region. It’s filled with bookshelves, just like my house in Belfast and is an absolute delight and inspiration to write in.

About Lynne Graham
Born of Irish/Scottish parentage, Lynne Graham has lived in Northern Ireland all her life. She has one brother. She grew up in a seaside village and now lives in a country house surrounded by a woodland garden, which is wonderfully private.
Lynne first met her husband when she was 14. They married after she completed a degree at Edinburgh University. Lynne wrote her first book at 15, and it was rejected everywhere. She started writing again when she was at home with her first child. It took several attempts before she sold her first book and the delight of seeing that first book for sale in the local newsagents has never been forgotten.
Lynne always wanted a large family and has five children. Her eldest and her only natural child is 19 and currently at university. Her other children, who are every bit as dear to her heart, are adopted. She has two 9-year-olds adopted from Sri Lanka and a 3- and a 5-year-old adopted from Guatemala. In Lynne’s home, there is a rich and diverse cultural mix, which adds a whole extra dimension of interest and discovery to family life.

You are cordially invited to witness the courtship of Graham Fortune Robinson & Sasha-Marie Gibault Smith

Graham has always thought of Sasha as his “little sister.” Sasha has always considered the rugged rancher out of her league. Now that Sasha is all grown up, there is nothing keeping them apart… Except she has a daughter. An ex-husband. And a very noticeable baby bump. And the always proper Graham suddenly finds himself thinking very sexy thoughts about the sweet single mom!

Perhaps Fortune is finally smiling on Graham—in the form of the true love this rich, unencumbered cowboy has always longed for!

Available from booksellers everywhere or purchase directly from Harlequin online

Bring first 3 ingredients to boil. Remove and beat in sugar and vanilla. Add nuts, if desired. Pour quickly over cake while both frosting and cake are hot. Let cool before cutting.

ABOUT JUDY DUARTE

Judy Duarte always knew there was a book inside her, but since English was her least favorite subject in school, she never considered herself a writer. An avid reader who enjoys a happy ending, Judy couldn’t shake the dream of creating a book of her own.

That dream became a reality in 2002, when Silhouette released her first Special Edition title. Since then, more than thirty of her books have hit the shelves, including three women’s fiction novels and two novellas.

Her stories have touched the hearts of readers around the world, landing her a prestigious Readers’ Choice Award, a Maggie Award and two RITA® Award finals.

When she’s not cooped up in her writing cave, she’s spending time with her somewhat enormous but delightfully close family, near the beach in Southern California.

You can write to Judy c/o Silhouette Books, 233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York, NY 10237. You can also contact her at JudyDuarte@aol.com or through her website.